第六十七章 Dao De Jing · Chapter 67

The Way seems like nothing because it is great; its three treasures are compassion, frugality and not daring to be first.

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  1. 天tiān下xià皆jiē谓wèi我wǒ道dào大dà,

    Everyone in the world says my Way is great,

  2. 似sì不bù肖xiào。

    yet it seems like nothing at all.

  3. 夫fú唯wéi大dà,故gù似sì不bù肖xiào。

    It is because it is great that it seems like nothing.

  4. 若ruò肖xiào,久jiǔ矣yǐ其qí细xì也yě夫fú!

    If it resembled something, it would long since have become small!

  5. 我wǒ有yǒu三sān宝bǎo,持chí而ér保bǎo之zhī。

    I have three treasures, which I hold and keep:

  6. 一yī曰yuē慈cí,二èr曰yuē俭jiǎn,

    the first is compassion, the second is frugality,

  7. 三sān曰yuē不bù敢gǎn为wéi天tiān下xià先xiān。

    the third is not daring to be first in the world.

  8. 慈cí故gù能néng勇yǒng,

    With compassion, one can be brave;

  9. 俭jiǎn故gù能néng广guǎng,

    with frugality, one can be generous;

  10. 不bù敢gǎn为wéi天tiān下xià先xiān,

    not daring to be first in the world,

  11. 故gù能néng成chéng器qì长zhǎng。

    one can become the leader of all.

  12. 今jīn舍shě慈cí且qiě勇yǒng,舍shě俭jiǎn且qiě广guǎng,

    Now, to give up compassion yet be brave, to give up frugality yet be generous,

  13. 舍shě后hòu且qiě先xiān,死sǐ矣yǐ!

    to give up being last yet be first: this is death!

  14. 夫fú慈cí以yǐ战zhàn则zé胜shèng,以yǐ守shǒu则zé固gù。

    With compassion, one wins in battle and holds firm in defence.

  15. 天tiān将jiāng救jiù之zhī,以yǐ慈cí卫wèi之zhī。

    Heaven will save such a one, and guard him with compassion.

Words in this chapter
Words in chapter 67, with pinyin and meaning
WordPinyinMeaning
天下tiān xiàall under heaven, the world
皆jiēall, everyone
谓wèito call, to be called
我wǒI, me
道dàothe Way
大dàgreat, big
似sìseems, as if
不bùnot
肖xiàoto resemble
夫唯fú wéiprecisely because
故gùtherefore
若ruòif
久jiǔlasting, long
矣yǐfinal particle (completion)
其qíit, he, they (subject)
细xìminute, small
也yěfinal particle (assertion)
夫fúfinal exclamation
有yǒuto have, to possess
三sānthree
宝bǎotreasure
持chíto hold
而érand, and then
保bǎoto keep, preserve
之zhīit, them (object)
一yīone, a single
曰yuēis called, to say
慈cícompassion, kindness
二èrtwo
俭jiǎnfrugality
敢gǎnto dare
为wéito be, to count as
先xiānbefore, ahead
能néngcan, to be able
勇yǒngbrave, bravery
广guǎngbroad, ample
成chéngto complete, accomplish
器qìvessel, tool, instrument
长zhǎngto rear, to lead
今jīnnow, the present
舍shěto give up
且qiěand also
后hòuback, after
死sǐto die
夫fúnow, indeed (opening particle)
以yǐby means of, with
战zhànbattle, to fight
则zéthen
胜shèngto overcome; victory
守shǒuto keep, to guard
固gùfirm
天tiānheaven
将jiāngabout to; to intend
救jiùto save, to help
卫wèito guard
Compare: James Legge (1891)

All the world says that, while my Tao is great, it yet appears to be inferior (to other systems of teaching). Now it is just its greatness that makes it seem to be inferior. If it were like any other (system), for long would its smallness have been known!

But I have three precious things which I prize and hold fast. The first is gentleness; the second is economy; and the third is shrinking from taking precedence of others.

With that gentleness I can be bold; with that economy I can be liberal; shrinking from taking precedence of others, I can become a vessel of the highest honour. Now-a-days they give up gentleness and are all for being bold; economy, and are all for being liberal; the hindmost place, and seek only to be foremost;--(of all which the end is) death.

Gentleness is sure to be victorious even in battle, and firmly to maintain its ground. Heaven will save its possessor, by his (very) gentleness protecting him.

Public domain. Source: Wikisource.

Meaning of chapter 67

Chapter 67 is the chapter of the three treasures. It opens with the speaker's Way: everyone says it is great, yet it seems like nothing at all (不肖), and that is because it is great. Were it like some particular thing, it would long since have become small. In chapter 25 too, the Way is called "great" only because a name is forced on it.

Then come the treasures: 慈 (compassion), 俭 (frugality) and not daring to be first in the world. Each makes its apparent opposite possible. Compassion makes one brave, frugality makes one generous, and not daring to be first makes one the leader of all; the word for leader, 器长, is literally "the head of the vessels". To give up compassion and still be brave, frugality and still be generous, being last and still be first: this is death.

The chapter ends with war. Compassion wins in battle and holds firm in defense, and heaven guards with compassion the one it will save. This leads into chapters 68 and 69, both about fighting, and chapter 69 warns against losing "my treasures". Frugality was praised already in chapter 59, under the word 啬.

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